Beer-pipe cleaner



(Nb Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P.P.GAYNOR.

BEER PIPE CLEANER.

No. '588,418.- Patented Aug. 17; 1897.

//v VENTOR WITNESSES.

BY 71 g THE NORRIS PETERS co. mmoumou wAsmNsToN n c (No Model.) I 2 Sheets8heet 2.

- .P. F. GAYNOR.

BEER PIPE GLEANBR.

f No. 588,4l8. Patented Aug. 17,1 89

WITNESSES Emma V B) A rromve rs.

UNITED STATES PATENT .GEEICE.

I PETER F. GAYN OR, OF GREENBUSH, NEWV YORK.

BEER-PIPEHCLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,418, dated August 17, 1897.

' Application filed April 51 1897. Serial No. 630,757. (No model.)

above-indicated class that the operator may at will send through the pipes a solution of a of pure water.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple arrangement of parts whereby the apparatus will be held in the closed or inactive position by the pressure of the water and whereby the operator will be enabled to readily adjust the apparatus tothe several positions used in practice.

'Other features and advantages of my invention will appear from the detailed description following hereinafter.

The novelty of the invention will be defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indi cate corresponding parts in allthe'figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of myimproved beer-pipe cleaner, the parts being adjusted to close the water-inlet, so that the apparatus is inactive; and Figs. 2 and 3 are'partial vertical sections showing, respectively,

the adjustment of parts for cleaning the pipes with the soda solution or other chemical and for sending only water through the said pipes.

The apparatus comprises a receptacle A, which may be bell-shaped, as shown, and provided in its top with a screw-plug B to afford an easy access to the interior of the receptacle when required. The receptacle has an inlet-port A and an outlet-port A which may be formed in a valve-casing O, screwing into the bottom of the receptacle A.

A perforated tube D may be arranged within the receptacle above the inlet-port A, and asimilar tubeDmay be fitted over the outlet A The latter is connected by means of a channel 0 to the discharge-passage of the apparatus, and from the channel 0 aport 0 leads to the longitudinalbore C of the casing tween them.

port 0 therefore is closed.

wardly seating check-valve F. This inlet is adapted for connection with a tube or hose G, through which water is supplied. Similarly there is a nipple O at the end of the valve-casing 0 adjacent to the outlet A said nipple being adapted to receive a hose G,

which leads to the pipes to be cleaned. suitable chemicahsuch as sal-soda, orastream The piston-valve E consists of two sections of uniform diameter, (cylindrical, as shown,) with a section E of reduced diameter betion E are preferably inclined relatively to the axis of the valve, for a purpose more particularly stated hereinafter. The valve has a stem E passing through a stufling-box H, and the stem is provided with a handle E to operate it. The stuffing-box H or the washer H therein limits the outward movement of the valve. Its inward movement may be limited by a shouldcr C or equivalent stop in the bore 0.

In the outlet A is arranged a valve I,which may close the port 0 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,'or the outlet A as shown in Fig. 3.

The bore 0 at its outlet end connects with The walls of said central secthe bore of a cock J, adapted for connection with a hose G whereby compressed air from a tank or othersource may be admitted into the apparatus for purposes described hereinafter.

The operation is as follows: supply of water is cut off from the apparatus, as the reduced portion E of the piston-valve E allows the valve F to be pressed against its seat by the liquid in the supply-hose G. The The ports A and O are covered by the cylindrical parts of the piston-valve. Moreover, the port 0 is closed by the on tlet-valve I,whicl1 is held in its lower position by its own weight. The receptacle A is filled with sal-soda or other suitable chemical. It will be observed that owing to the central portionE of the piston-valve being inclined or flared outwardly toward each end the pressure on the inlet-valve]? has a tendency to hold the piston-valve in acentral position, and the operator will therefore readily feel when the valve is in such posi- In Fig. 1 the tion, as there will be some resistance to moving the valve out of the central position. Also, in case the operator should release the handle E before the piston-valve is fully centered relatively to the inlet-valve F, the pressure on the latter will be suflicient to slide the piston-valve in the casing until it is in the position illustrated by Fig. 1. The pressure will in a like manner return the piston-valve to its central position in case it should accidentally be moved slightly out of such position. It will therefore be seen that the inlet-valve F practically forms a lock for the piston-valve E.

Vhen it is desired to clean the beer-pipes connected to the hose G by passing through them a solution of the chemical contained in the receptacle A, the operator pulls the piston-valve E out into the position shown in Fig. 2. The stem of the inlet-valve F being in en gagemcnt with the inclined face or she ulder E is moved outwardly, unseating the inlet-valve, so as to admit water through the inlet G" into the bore 0 of the casing C. The reduced portion E is in such a position as to establish a communication between the inlet C and the receptacle-inlet A, so that water passes into the receptacle. This water, taking with it some of the chemical contained in the receptacle, passes out through the tube D, outlet A channel 0 and nipple C to the hose G and the beer-pipe. The cock J is closed. The outlet-valve I remains upon its lower seat, closing the port 0 It will be seen that no water can pass directly from the inlet C to the hose G. Vhen this operation has been continued a sufficient length of time and it is desired to further clean the beer-pipe, also to remove the sal-soda solution therefrom by passing only pure water through said pipe,tl1e piston-valve E is pushed inward to the position shown in Fig. The annular chamber around the reduced portion E of said valve then establishes a communication between the inlet-port C and the port 0 under the outlet-valve I. The pressure of the water causes the outlet-valve to rise and forces it against its upper seat, so that no water can enter or leave the receptacle A through its outlet A The inlet A is closed by the cylindrical end of the piston-valve E. It will be understood that the valve F is opened by the inclined portion of the valve E in the same manneras hereinbefore described. The water thus passes directly from the inlet-port O to the port 0 channel 0 nipple C and hose G without passing through the receptacle A.

After thus cleaning the pipes the water may be thoroughly expelled therefrom by opening the cock J, to which the air-hose leading from the supply of compressed air is attached. The air rushing through the beerpipes will remove the water therefrom. Also, when desired, the air-hose G may be cleaned in the same manner as the beer-pipes are cleaned. This is an important advantage of my invention over the usual constructions. It admits of the air-hose being cleaned in the same manner as the beer-pipes are cleaned, it being understood that the air-hose is liable to become foul and needs cleaning as well as the beer-pipes. This cleaning is accomplished by simply opening the cock J, to which the air-hose is always'attached.

lVhen it is desired to refill the chamber A, the water must be let out therefrom. This is accomplished best by bringing the pistonvalve E to its central position, Fig. 1, and then dropping the outlet-hose G below the level of the water.

The connection of the outlet-hose G to the beer-pipes may be made in any suitable manner.

I desire it to be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the nature of my invention. The inlet-valve F, although it is very useful in preventing leakage and also presents the several advantages hereinbefore pointed out, is not absolutely necessary, since the apparatus will operate Without it, the piston-valve E being sufficient to control the How of the water in the manner described.

The piston-valve E is a cut-off valve, inasmuch as it controls the admission of water to the receptacle A. The path A A C G G is the regular channel for the liquid, while the port 0 forms a by-pass enabling the liquid to reach the outlet-hose G directly without passing through the receptacle A. I

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of the receptacle having an inlet and an outlet, the valve-casing having a liquid-inlet and a bore c0mmunicating with the inlet of the receptacle, a cut-off valve controllingthe connection of the liquidinlet with the receptacle, the apparatus having a liquid-outlet having a connection to the outlet of the receptacle and also a direct connection to the bore of the valve-casing, and an outwardly-opening cl1eck-valve controlling the connection of the liquid-outlet with the outlet of the receptacle, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the valve-casing having inlet and outlet ports, the piston-valve movable in said casing and provided with a reduced central portion inclined relatively to the axis of the piston-valve, and the inletvalve engaging the inclined surface of the piston-valve, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the valve-casinghaving inlet and outlet ports, the piston-valve movable in said casing and provided with a reduced central portion flaring toward the ends, and the inlet-valve arranged to move transversely of the piston-valve and to engage the reduced portion thereof, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the receptacle, the valve-casing having an inlet, the inlet-valve,

the piston-valve arranged in the casing and engaging the inlet-valveto operate the same,

the casing havinga channel or connection forming an inlet to the receptacle, and another connection leading to the outlet of the apparatus, the receptacle having likewise a connection to said outlet and a check-valve adapted to close the channel or connection from the receptacle to the outlet when the direct connection from the casing to the outlet is open, substantially as described.

5. A beer-pipe cleaner, or other apparatus, having a liquid-inlet and a liquid-outlet, a receptacle connected to the liquid-inlet and to the liquid-outlet, a cut-off valve controlling the connection of the receptacle with the liquid-inlet, the apparatus having a by-pass,

likewise controlled by the cut-off valve,

through which the liquid may pass directly from the inlet to the outlet without entering the receptacle and a check-valve between the by-pass and the outlet of the receptacle, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the valve-casing having inlet and outlet ports, the manually-controlled main valve movable in said casing, and the separate inlet-valve movable transversely of the main valve and operated by the movement thereof, substantially as de- 

